A human rights organisation, the Centre for Human Rights and Social Justice (CHRSJ), has exposed the extra-judicial killings of innocent people of the ancient town of Ihunbo in Ipokia Local Government Area of Ogun State allegedly by the men of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and Nigeria Police Force in the area before the national protest against brutality by men of the now disbanded Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).

The rights group therefore called for “a credible, unbiased, honest, thorough and transparent investigation into the alleged brutality and extra-judicial killings of Customs, Police and Soldiers in Ihunbo town.”

It also urged the State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, to set up Special Judicial Panel of Inquiry to investigate the burning of the Ihunbo ancient Palace in 2016.

It noted that the burning of the ancient Palace left the town with no monarch since the passing away of Oba Jacob Tolagbade Fase on March 23, 2014, till the present moment.

CHRSJ referred to its Petition Letter dated Monday 1st of June, 2020 and signed by its Executive Chairman, Comrade Adeniyi Alimi Sulaiman, which the copies were recently made available to newsmen.

The Petition Letter was forwarded to President Muhammadu Buhari, the Ogun State Governor, Senate President, Speaker House of Representatives, Inspector General of Police, Comptroller General of Nigeria Customs Service, among others.

CHRSJ insisted that the men and officers of Customs Service, Nigeria Police Force and Nigeria Army had been the tools in the hands of certain individuals.

“All the culprits in the Customs Service should be brought to book. The barbaric manner of these Customs officers on baseless killing, attack on innocent citizens always damaged the people’s vehicle in the country and in the community like that of late Godwin Onoja who was shot to death by Customs officer “Destiny Onebaho’ on Monday February 18, 2019 along Sagamu interchange off Lagos – Ibadan Express Way,” the rights group said.

It therefore urged the authorities in Nigeria to embark on operation clean crusade in order to get rid of the bad eggs in the Customs Service and other security apparatus in the land for effective and efficient service.

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